about

Nicola Lo Calzo (Turin, 1979) is an Italian photographer, researcher, and curator based in Paris. With a PhD in Arts (CY-ENSAPC), his practice unfolds at the crossroads of photography, historical research, and critical thinking, exploring issues of memory, identity, and the afterlives of colonialism. His long-term projects focus on the ways subaltern communities preserve and transmit their memory in response to marginalization and silenced past.

A former landscape architect, Lo Calzo turned to photography in 2008, driven by a personal and political need to explore identity and the body as sites of struggle and memory. Queer and dissident perspectives form the backbone of his work, which develops slowly through field-based and collaborative research with artists, scholars, and local communities. Since 2010, he has been developing Cham/KAM, an organic and evolving visual research project on the memory of slavery and resistance across West Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and Europe. In KAM, memory is not simply a subject but a method — a framework for reading the world, unearthing subaltern narratives, and confronting dominant historiographies.

His work has been exhibited internationally in major museums and art centers, including the Festival Fotografia Europea in Reggio Emilia (Binidittu, 2022), the Centro Italiano di Fotografia in Turin (Binidittu, 2021), the Institut des Cultures d’Islam in Paris (Tchamba, 2020), the Centro de la Imagen in Mexico (Obia, 2018), and the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, which dedicated a solo exhibition to his work on Haiti and Guadeloupe in 2015. In 2025, his most recent project Nego Fugido, a visual reflection on quilombola heritage and resistance in Brazil, was presented at the Museu Nacional da República in Brasília as part of the Bresil-France Season. In 2024, he launched Brigantinas at the Museo Nivola in Sardinia, a reflection on subalternity and struggles for land in the Sardinian context.

Lo Calzo’s photographs are part of major public and private collections, including the CNAP and BNF in France, Light Work in New York, the Alinari Archives in Florence, the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, and the J.P. Morgan Collection. His monographs include Binidittu (L’Artiere, 2020), Regla (Kehrer, 2017), Obia (Kehrer, 2015), and Inside Niger (Kehrer, 2012).

From 2015 to 2019, he collaborated with the Haitian collective Kolektif KD2 as artistic director of Kazal, a participatory project on the memory of state violence under the Duvalier regime. In 2022, he curated the symposium A Queer Photo Archive with the Jeu de Paume and ENSAPC, bringing together contemporary artists working on queer and postcolonial aesthetics through photography and other media.

He teaches at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Arts de Paris-Cergy and Sciences Po Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where he leads courses on queer and anti-colonial practices in photography. He is the recipient of numerous grants and prizes, including the CNAP Grant (2025), the Strategia Fotografia Grant (2023), the BNF Grande Commande Photographique (2022), and a previous CNAP Grant (2018). He has been nominated for the Prix Elysée and the Niépce Prize. In 2023, he co-founded PLARA, a digital platform for artistic research, and served as guest curator for the 8th International Biennial of Photographic Encounters of Guyana.

Public and Private Collections

Fond national des arts plastiques - France
Bibliothèque nationale de France - France
La Réunion des Musées Métropolitains Rouen Normandie - France
Tropenmuseum Amsterdam - Netherlands
Collection Museo Nivola - Italy
Alinari Archives - Italy
Pinacatoca civica di Monza - Italy
Lightwork collection Syracuse - USA
J.P. Morgan collection - USA

Upcoming exhibitions

2025 / Lomé / Tchamba / Harmattan Photo Festival
2025 / Salvador de Bahia / Nego Fugido / MAFRO
2025 / Darmstad / No Place like Home / Kunsthalle Darmstadt 
2025 / Brasilia / Nego Fugido, mémoires quilombolas / Alliance française de Brasilia
2025 / Rio de Janeiro / Nego Fugido / FotoRio

Solo & Group exhibitions

2025 / Basse-Terre / Mémoires vivantes / Fonds d'art Contemporain de la Guadeloupe
2025 / Aubervilliers / Nego Fugido, mémoires quilombolas / Centre d'art Ygrec-Ensapc
2024 / Paris / Illuminati / Dominique Fiat
2024 / Rome / The game of Identities / Arte in Nuvola 
2024 / Orani / Brigantinas / Museo Nivola
2024 / Paris / La France sous leurs yeux / BNF
2024 / Rotterdam / Kolonialisme en Rotterdam / Wereldmuseum Rotterdam
2023 / Paris / Nicola Lo Calzo & Sue Williamson : Portraits résistants / Dominique Fiat gallery
2023 / Nantes / Juste à côté de nous, Amazonie / Centre Claude Cahun
2023 / Rouan / Mémoires normandes de l’esclavage / Corderie Vallois
2023 / Paris / Marronnages, Tembé et photographies des Guyanes / Dominique Fiat gallery
2022 / Malaga / Binidittu / Ozangé - African Photography Biennial
2022 / Paris / Obia / L’art de briser ses chaînes / Maison de l’Amérique Latine
2022 / Paris / Fragments Atlantiques / Dominique Fiat gallery
2022 / Amsterdam / K2D - KAZAL: Narrating Haitian Memories / Framer Framed (Curatoring)
2022 / Amsterdam / Our Colonial Heritage / Tromensumseum
2022 / Reggio Emilia / Binidittu / Fotografia Europea
2021 / Vassivère / La barque ouverte / La Sagesse des Lianes / CIAP Vassivière
2021 / Siracusa / Binidittu / Fototeca Siracusana
2021 / Milan / Binidittu / Podbielski Contemporary Gallery
2021 / Aosta / The Families of Man / Museo archeologico della Val d'Aosta
2021 / Binidittu / Images Gibellina, Gibellina
2021 / Saint-Brieuc / Mythologies of Resistance / Saint-Brieuc Bay Photo Festival
2021 / Turin / Binidittu, CAMERA
2021 / Sao Tomé / Tragedia, Alliance Française, Saison Afrique 2020
2021 / Paris / (Un)Hidden, Dominique Fiat gallery
2020 / Paris /Beliefs / Tchamba / Institut des cultures d’Islam
2019 / Syracuse NY / Bundles of Wood / Kathleen O. Ellis Gallery - Lightwork
2019 / Sète / Regla / Images Singulières Festival
2019 / Lodz / Mythologies of Resistances / Fotofestiwal
2019 / Cotonou / Africa is No Island / Zinsou Foundation
2018 / Mexico / AfricAmericanos / Obia / Centro de la Imagen
2018 / Lille / Ola Cuba! / Regla / Gare Saint Sauveur
2018 / Lille / Ola Cuba! / Caravana / Gare Saint Sauveur
2018 / Marrakesh / Africa is No Island / Macaal
2018 / Paris / Africa Aperta Part II / Dominique Fiat gallery
2018 / Milano / Tchamba, FCAAAL
2017 / Bogotà / Cham, A work in progress / La Balsa Artè
2017 / Lagos / Tchamba, LagosPhoto Festival
2017 / Lille / Tchamba, Afriques Capitales 
2017 / Athens / Regla, Benaki Museum / Athens Photo Festival
2016 / Saint Laurent du Maroni / Obia / Ciap
2016 / Vichy / Regla / Portrait(s)  festival
2016 / Paris / Mas / Musée Albert Kahn
2016 / Paris / No Borders / Dominique Fiat gallery
2015 / Belo Horizonte / Obia / FIF BH
2015 / Paris / Obia / Galerie Dominique Fiat
2015 / Nantes / Obia / Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2014 / Amsterdam / The Insurgents of the Caribbean / Tropenmuseum
2014 / Nantes / Haiti, Effroi des oppresseurs, espoir des opprimés / Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2013 / Lagos Nigeria / Inside Niger / Lagos Photo Festival
2013 / Monza / Biennale Giovani Monza
2013 / Jumièges  / L’Eau et les Reves / Inside Niger / Abbay of Jumièges
2012 / Morgante / Athens Photo Festival / Technopolis
2012 / Morgante / Fotoleggendo Festival / Officine Fotografiche / Rome
2012 / Morgante / Photographes de la Bourse du Talent / BNF
2012 / Chieri / Morgante / Centro PHOS
2011 / Sète / Morgante / Festival Images Singulières
2011 / Florence / Morgante / Musée National Alinari de la Photographie
2011 / Arles / Morgante / Espace Afrique In Visu
2011 / Orange / Comeback to Kalahari / La nuit de la photo / PBK
2011 / Paris / 11  Jeunes Talents Sfr au Bal / Le Bal
2011 / Paris / Italian Emerging Photography / Festival Circulation(s) / Parc de Bagatelle
2010 / Paris / Italian Emerging photography / par Laura Serani, Institute Italien de Culture
2010 / Paris / Chic Art fair 2010 / School Gallery
2010 / Guidel / Inside Niger /La nuit de la photo / PBK
2010 / Milan / The Promising baby / Festival de photojournalisme / Atri
2010 / Lyon, Inside Niger / Musée des Confluences / Mairie de Lyon
2010 / Genève / Comeback to Kalahari / Galerie Imaginaid
2010 / Paris / Un jeudi sur Terre / Exposition collective / Galerie Imaginaid
2010 / Paris / Parole Photographique / Exposition collective / Actuphoto
2009 / Paris, Inside Niger / Exposition collective / School Gallery
2009 / Lyon /Inside Niger / Exposition collective / ARTY Vitrines
2009 / Arles / Inside Niger /Exposition collective / Les Rencontres d’Arles /Galerie Sfr
2009 / Paris / Inside Niger / news portraits from Sahel / Festival de l’oh !
2006 / Milan / Amanti / The Photographers Gallery
2006 / Turin / Inanna / Fondazione nazionale di fotografia (progettodonna)
2004 / Turin / Decadenze in Villa Capriglio / Villa Capriglio avec I Leonardi
2004 / Rome / Decadenze / Brancaleone / curateur Stefano David
2003 / Turin / exposition collective Papille / Gallerie Nucleon
2002 / Turin / Paene Anima / Gallerie Nucleon
2002 / Turin / First award of Art competition Ioespongo

Curatoring

2023 / Hors Champ(s) / Rencontres Photographiques de Guyane / Cayenne ( work in progress )
2022 / K2D / Kazal / Framer Framed / Amsterdam
2020 / (UN)HIDDEN / Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / K2D / Kazal / Maison Dufort - Fondation Fokal / Port-au-Prince

Seminars

2023 / Attraversamenti: Traiettorie del Postcoloniale nelle Americhe / Università degli studi di Padova / Padova
2023 / Methods and Media  of the Present/Absent: Visual approaches to Vodun and Vodou / University of Zurich and SNSF-research project / Zurich
2023 / Kam, una contro-cartografia della resistenza / Accademia di Brera / Milan
2022 / A Queer Photo Archive / Jeu de Paume / Paris
2022 / Photographie et mémoires / Maison Europeenne de la photographie / Paris
2022 / Raconter et exposer les minorités / Quai Branly
2022 / L'Ethnologie va vous surprendre / Quai Branly
2021 / Survivances and ghosts of colonialism in contemporary societies - activism, research and artistic devices / ENSAPC
2021 / Queer activism and aesthetics in African literature / APELA Congress
2021 / L’engagement ethnographique / Global Studies Institute of the University of Geneva
2021 / Colonial Slavery in European Museum: Arts and representations / Musée Paul Erard
2019 / NY University / Black Portraitures V / The Cham project : Bundles of Wood / NY
2019 / Syracuse University: Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project : Bundles of Wood / NY
2018 / Harvard University, Black Portraitures IV : Regla, Afro-Cuban Heritage, Cambridge
2018 / EHESS, Slavery and post-slavery seminar: Tchamba,  Paris
2017 / Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotà : Cham, Memorias de un pasado aùn Presente
2017 / Syracuse University, Syracuse New York : Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project, rencontre animée par Cooper Battersby  
2017 / Columbia Univerity, Paris : Slavery’s Legacies, Black Struggles & White Suprematism, table ronde animée par Jean-Philippe Dedieu.  
2016 / UNESCO, Paris :  Coalition of Artists for the General History of Africa, rencontre animée par Tabué Nguma 
2015 / University of Nantes France : International colloquium of the Memorial of the Abolition of Slavery: an Architecture of Memory, table ronde animée par Françoise Vergès  
2015 / Arpia Association, Paris : Nicola Lo Calzo,  Obia: From Antislavery Struggles to Mass Society, rencontre animée par Mathieu Oui  
2014 / Fokal Foundation, Haiti : Nicola Lo Calzo, The Cham Project, rencontre animée par Laennec Hurbon  
2013 / Le Percolateur, Marseille : Contemporary Italian photography: some insights Panel guided by Marco Barbon  
2012 / Memorial of Abolition of Slavery, Nantes : International Colloquium of the Memorial of Nantes, table ronde animée par Françoise Vergès  
2010 / Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Paris : Italian Emerging Photography, table ronde animée par Laura Serani

Art Fairs

2021 / Artissima, Podbielski Contemporary / Paris
2021 / Parisphoto, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2020 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / Parisphoto, Solo Show - Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2019 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat / Paris
2018 / PhotoBasel, La Balsa Arte Gallery, Basel
2018 / ArtParis Fair, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2018 / MIA Photo fair, L’agence à Paris, Milano
2017 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2017 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2016 / AKAA, Dominique Fiat, Paris
2015 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2014 / Parisphoto Art fair, Dominique Fiat gallery, Paris
2012 / Parisphoto Art fair, Kehrer Verlag publisher, Paris
2010 / Chic Art Fair, School Gallery, Paris

Artist-in-residence programs

2023 / La Cour / Courants d'Art, La Réunion
2021 / Alliance Française, Sao Tomé
2017 / Light-Work Program, Syracuse University
2014 / Ciap, Saint Laurent-du-Maroni, French Guiana
2013 / Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans, Louisiana US
2012 / Fokal Fondation, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2011 / Zinsou Fondation, Cotonou, Benin

Catalogues

2019 / Contact Sheet -Bundles of Wood - Lightwork
2019 / AfricAmericanos / RM
2019 / Ayiti / VIS-AVIS - Fotodoks / Munich Germany
2018, Centro, Mundo, Imagen, Belo Horizonte Photo Festival
2017 / Afrique In Visu 10 Ans, Clementine de la Férronière
2017 / Athens Photo Festival, Hellenic Center for Photography
2017/ Afriques Capitales, Kehrer
2017 / AKAA Art fair2014 / Catalogue ParisPhoto
2014 / Nantes / Haiti, Effroi des oppresseurs, espoir des opprimés/ Mémorial de l’abolition de l’esclavage
2013 / Jumièges / L’Eau et les Reves
2013 / Monza / Biennale Giovani Monza
2012 / Athens / APHF :12 Athens Photo Festival / Hellenic Center for Photography
2012 / Rome / Fotoleggendo / VIII Edizone / Postcart
2012 / La Chaux-de-Fonds / 70eme Biennale d’art contemporain
2011 / Sète / Festival Images Singulières 3e édition
2010 / Paris / Italian Emerging photography / Instituto Italiano di Cultura / Mois de la Photo à Paris
2010 / Lyon /  Passages 2012 : Afrique et Creations, Musée des Confluences / Mairie de Lyon

Awards

2022 / Grande Commande Photographique Nationale / BNF
2019 / Prix ELysée Nominee
2018 / Prix Fidal finalist
2016 / BURN Grant finalist
2013 / PDN Photo Annual 2013, Book category
2011 / Biennale Giovani Monza 2013
2011 / Prix Pictet 2011, Nominee
2011 / HSBC price for photography 2011, finalist
2011 / Bourse du talent reportage 2011, finalist
2010 / HSBC price for photography 2010, finalist
2009 / Magnum expression award 2009
2009 / Bourse du talent reportage 2009
2009 / Les Rencontres d'Arles SFR Jeunes Talents
2009 / Granx prix SFR Jeunes Talents de la photographie